Wood Build Maine Conference highlights Maine's forest bioeconomy and creative leadership in Climate-Smart Design and Timber Innovation

Wood Build Maine Conference highlights Maine's forest bioeconomy and creative leadership in Climate-Smart Design and Timber Innovation

April 30, 2026

FREEPORT, Maine - From a place where forest meets coastline and heritage meets ingenuity, Maine is shining a spotlight on the opportunities surrounding wood design.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), in partnership with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and the Maine International Trade Center, will host the Wood Build Maine Conference, a gathering designed to showcase how wood is shaping the future of building, from structure to sustainability.

Inspired by DACF's ongoing collaborative partnership with Finlands Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the conference reflects a broader movement: one that sees wood not simply as a material, but as a climate solution, an economic engine, a beautiful design element, and provides a physical connection to nature.

Set against the working landscape of the Wolfes Neck Center in Freeport, Maine, the one-day event will convene architects, builders, designers, manufacturers, policymakers, and investors who are rethinking how we build and what we build with.

The Event

What: Wood Build Maine Conference (Register to Attend)
When: Friday, June 5, 2026, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: The Smith Center for Education & Research, Wolfes Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport, ME

Why Maine - Why Now?

Across North America and Europe, mass timber and advanced wood construction are redefining skylines and supply chains alike. Maine, the most heavily forested state in the U.S., with nearly 90% forest cover spanning almost 18 million acres, is home to the largest contiguous, intact working forest in the Eastern United States. Combined with a deep legacy of craftsmanship and a growing network of innovators, the state is uniquely positioned to lead.

Wood Build Maine will spotlight:

• Forest-based economic development: rooted in Maines vast working lands
• Mass timber and engineered wood systems: reshaping modern architecture
• Low-carbon, climate-friendly materials: driving sustainable construction
• Next-generation manufacturing and research: advancing wood products

About Wood Build Maine

Wood Build Maine is a one-day conference dedicated to connecting people with ideas shaping this next generation of building. By bringing together leaders across forestry, design, manufacturing, and policy, the event underscores Maines role in advancing wood as both a structural material and a core element of a vibrant natural resource economy. Wood Build Maine is sponsored by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and presented in partnership with DACF, Maine International Trade Center, and Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

For more information contact: Jim Britt at: [email protected]

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